HowlsOfWinter

Bloodrose Irregulars - After The Fall (Dark Fantasy Adventure) -=Remake=-

Octavia's eyes followed Pox as he did his work, watching in mild amusement as he did this and that, no doubt very much experienced with his actions as a healer. She had nearly jumped in surprise when he suddenly raised her ankle to strike a defensive pose, but before she could get a chance to react, he apologized sincerely for prying — not that she had considered it to be prying in the first place. Octavia raised her eyebrow, before a grin consumed the lower half of her face. His intimidating exterior was far-removed from his jovial nature, and she broke into a hearty laugh. "I'd like to help you too if you don't mind. We are comrades after all. No point in suffering when you've got a doctor on command. We're expensive," Pox joked. His genuine display of concern compelled Octavia to open up a little. Maybe it was his gentle nature and easygoing personality that drew people toward trusting him. "Then if you don't mind, I'll be taking advantage of your free services," she shot back with a wry smile. "I'll be in your care," she said, before thanking him and accepting his outstretched hand. Octavia rose up and dusted the sand off her clothes. Her body noticeably felt lighter, maybe it was the vial he had given her. "Shouldn't be much longer until we're done with this." Octavia couldn't see the face he was making beneath the mask, but she imagined he would be smiling. "I hope so. The last week has been too hot for my liking, albeit ludicrous if I have to admit," she frowned, before they marched toward the entrance of the tomb.

--

Octavia noticed that Pox had felt the same way she did. It was the smarter choice to leave and go back home; they couldn't afford to have any casualties. However, everyone seemed set on their decisions to continue. Wordlessly, Octavia obliged, but a bad premonition gnawed at her gut.

@ShwiggityShwah

Bloodrose Irregulars - After The Fall (Dark Fantasy Adventure) -=Remake=-

Thanks guys. My cat's finally eating and drinking, so I think he's going to be fine. And it will be a long while before I get to replace my laptop so I'm gonna have to continue posting with my phone. It's a pain in the arse but i'll manage. Haha

Bloodrose Irregulars - After The Fall (Dark Fantasy Adventure) -=Remake=-

Octavia must have blacked out momentarily. When she opened her eyes, she saw the blue sky—and two concerned faces. It took a few moments for her mind to recap the events that had just transpired. She recalled that there was some sort of dark energy that engulfed her entire being, and it was unpleasant. It almost felt as if she was being possessed by something evil. It was a given that the tomb would have over a thousand of miserable souls lingering inside of it, but she felt that there was something more. She couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something residing within the tomb; something dark and malicious. It must have gotten drawn to the dark energy of her curse and tried to use her as a host.

Octavia took a deep breathe and sat up straight, shifting her focus towards Gwen. "I'm fine, there's just something really off about this tomb," she replied. Her eyebrows were knitted together in deep thought; she looked frustrated. "This is just mere speculation—maybe even paranoia—but it felt as if something was going to possess my body."It was just a feeling, of course, and she tried to brush it aside. It seemed like a good idea to get some sleep after the day ends. The paranoia tendencies and the dark shadows under her eyes were only getting worse. She felt as if she was going to go crazy from exhaustion.

"Lady Gwen! Lady Octavia! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Pox still seemed to be full of energy, as always. He radiated a warm and positive energy—the complete opposite of her. She almost envied him, but she admired him just as much. If only she could be less miserable and more like him. "Just a bad headache," Octavia assuaged his worries with a sheepish smile, but she almost looked embarrassed. She wanted to help them as much as she could, but she ended up getting carried outside instead. That was uncool. She bit the inside of her lip, a habit she did whenever she was embarrassed or in deep thought. "I think I might have injured my ankle, too. It hurts when I walk." She undid the bandage and examined her ankle. "It doesn't look sprained, but walking on deep sand is straining," she commented. She couldn't wait to walk on grass and cement; she was starting to really hate the sight of sand. Maybe she just wasn't meant for the desert, and she wouldn't choose to return if she could help it.

Octavia was starting to feel homesick, but her journey was just beginning. She joined the Irregulars so she could explore the world and hopefully find a cure for her curse. Keyword: hopefully. A cure for a curse that has been passed down for many generations was unheard of, after all, they have committed a serious taboo and it was retribution. The Crestkeeps married within the family just to keep their family secret safe, but in the end, the estate was raided and they were all killed. As the last Crestkeep alive, she inherited the curse of everyone who had died that day. She was the only one left alive to pay for all of their family's sins, and to make matters worse, their souls haunted her dreams every night. They couldn't find peace in the afterlife.

It was Octavia's life mission to find an end to the curse, so she could live a normal life and put the souls of her family at rest. However, she knew deep down that it was an impossible feat, and the best she could do was not to give birth to a child, so that the curse would end and die with her. Growing old and starting a family was out of the question, she'd only have 10 years to live at best, but her lifespan would probably be much shorter that that. The thought wasn't all too depressing, it seemed so much better than the idea of living a long life filled with only suffering.

A long sigh was dragged out of her lips as she shook her unnecessary thoughts aside. She had been losing her focus a lot more lately; a sign that she wasn't getting proper sleep—or any at all. Octavia suppressed a yawn and adjusted her eyepatch.

Bloodrose Irregulars - After The Fall (Dark Fantasy Adventure) -=Remake=-

@ShwiggityShwah I'm bringing him to the vet tomorrow morning if he doesn't show signs of getting better. Hopefully it's nothing serious.

I'm gonna work on a post now . Sorry for the continuous delay. It's hard to stay updated without my laptop, I hate using my phone.

Bloodrose Irregulars - After The Fall (Dark Fantasy Adventure) -=Remake=-

I'm sorry I wasn't able to post. My cat is sick and i'v been busy monitoring his health. I'll try to work on a post before I sleep tonight

Bloodrose Irregulars - After The Fall (Dark Fantasy Adventure) -=Remake=-

@Arthanus Sorry for the late reponse, my laptop broke and i'm just using my phone. I'll get a post up before Wednesday.

Bloodrose Irregulars - After The Fall (Dark Fantasy Adventure) -=Remake=-

Octavia wasn't sure how much time had passed. Her interaction with Gwen had left her dazed and scarcely comprehending. She wiped the tiny beads of sweat that pooled at her temples and pushed the loose hair out of her eyes. So many questions spiraled through her mind, but pondering only led to more questions rather than answers. She shook her head and tried to focus on her mission, dragging her attention away from her thoughts. Octavia's gaze wandered across the barren land as she drew in a deep breath. And she froze. At the edge of her vision, she spotted a group of...?

"Gasp!"

In one swift motion, Octavia ducked and concealed herself behind the large boulder. She stuck her head out and peered, quickly noting that there were about 15 of them. A majority of them were armed with swords and the rest of them with bows and arrows. She could run for the entrance, but she wouldn't be able to avoid a direct confrontation. Her odds of winning against 15 snakemen in her current sate would be one percent. Even one percent was too generous. Way too generous, she repeated, almost laughing at the ridiculous thought of a one percent chance. It would be suicide at best. Octavia would have to wait for the beasts to enter the tomb and ambush them from behind whilst the others engaged with them upront. The Bloodrose Irregulars were in for a surprise, but she had to think of a more positive scenario. Maybe Alm spotted them before heading back.

As the beasts approached the entrance, she took this time to tighly wrap her ankle with a piece of cloth she had ripped from her robe. Her ankle had been aching for days; it made her footing unsteady. When they entered and disappeared from her line of sight, she carefully followed suit. A headache throbbed behind her eyes the moment she got close to the ancient tomb. The entire thing practically vibrated with violent emotion. She eased a step further along the path, but her ability to feel the violent history didn't fade. She had to stop momentarilly. Octavia worked to relax while she kept her focus. Much as she longed to back away, she resited the urge.

BANG!

Hearing the gunshot was all that it took for her hesitations to fly out the window. She quickly entered the tomb, purpose in her stride. Everything had happened so fast. Shots were fired and blades were swung. Octavia noticed the two strangers (mostly the large man) who were fighting alongside the others, but she had no time to discern the situation. She quickly reached for the knives that were hidden under her robe, sheathed on a belt loop that was wrapped around her leg. She aimed for the snakeman who had his arrow pointed at Pox, and in a fraction of a second, the knife whizzed through the air and stabbed the beast in the spot where its jaw met its neck. Octavia reached for a second knife, but a sudden sharp, stabbing pain in her skull caused her to drop to her knees. She could hear the loud screams of the damned, and they came from inside her mind. She clutched her head and groaned in agony. Mustering every strength she had left, she retreated behind the nearest pillar. "This damned ancient tomb is cursed", she said through gritted teeth, her hands still clutching her head. Dark thoughts began to plague her mind, and Octavia would have to spend the next few moments fighting the curse that ran through her veins, but it was a losing battle.

Bloodrose Irregulars - After The Fall (Dark Fantasy Adventure) -=Remake=-

@Arthanus A minimum of one post per week sounds good. Sorry for the delay, been so busy with clearance signing. I'll get a post up before Saturday.

Bloodrose Irregulars - After The Fall (Dark Fantasy Adventure) -=Remake=-

@LiverisGood The art is pretty. Who's the artist?

@Arthanus Sorry for the delay. I wanted to give @Kafka Komedy a chance to post first since his character's kinda just been dragged along.

I'll get a post up today.

[HIGH CASUAL] Her Majesty's Spirit

@Lionhearted I'm leaning more towards an Alovian princess who seeks to change the kingdom from within. What would be the difference in the upbringing of Alovian royalties and Thelannian royalties?